Oh, the holidays have come and gone, but they left good times and wonderful memories behind. Most of our family was able to get together at least for the new year, and we made it a point to make a little noise to welcome in the new year – a family tradition. It was so much fun that we did it twice, as you can see in not only one photo but two. We also played games, cards, and completed a beautiful 1,000 piece puzzle of butterflies. Of course, Jim was the chief cook, but everyone else pitched in as usual.

Our family gave us a tremendous gift for Christmas and for our 30th Anniversary, (which was the day after Christmas). The gift was an elegant, romantic dinner just for the two of us, catered in our own home, complete with harp music. On Monday, January 3 rd, two friends, Sharon Chader and Cathy Pruett, attended to every detail and served a dinner of a lifetime for us that spanned 4 and ½ hours. They did such a great job that we think they should do this as another business.

Appetizers and champagne were served near the fireplace at 4:00 p.m. We were surrounded by flowers, candles, music and poetry. The harpist arrived at 4:30 and played from 5:00 – 6:00, just for us! Dinner at 5:00 began with spinach and lettuce salad with mandarin oranges, strawberries and capers, gluten-free bread, and wine. Then came the lobster tail, bacon-wrapped scallops, baked salmon, asparagus tips and baby carrots, capers, tomato, rice noodles with pesto sauce and pine nuts. Wow! Dessert was a heart-shaped English trifle served with special coffee. Oh, my! As you can see, we were wined and dined like never before in our lives.

There are no words to fully explain the fabulous evening. After the food had settled a bit, with love songs by the Carpenters playing, we even danced a bit – and for me, that was a VERY little bit, but oh, such fun. We are extremely grateful to our family for coming up with this wonderful idea and then finding Sharon and Cathy to provide the service. It was a night we’ll always treasure and remember fondly. A perfect celebration of our 30 years!

And now, we’re back to our routine, and I continue to get home care twice each week, so Jim gets a break from giving me a shower, getting me dressed, making my breakfast, and all such. We are blessed to have good people providing this service. They are all easy to wake up to on the mornings when they come.

We are grateful to have a good, quality life in spite of my continuing weakness. We sincerely appreciate all the good people in our lives, the many prayers that sustain us, and the ongoing care and concern from so many. “Thank you” is such a small phrase for so much that we are grateful for. God bless you all!